Those Mets

BIG PELF NOT HIMSELF

EXCLUSIVE ANALYSIS ONLY FROM THOSE METS

Perhaps the most exciting man on the field in the second half of 2008, things in Queens where not as pretty for Mets righty Mike Pelfrey the year after. With an ERA of 5.03 in 09', and a sub-.500 W-L, big questions arose about the future of the young Ohio native. But Big Pelf set out to prove he was far from finished and came out of the gate with dominance in 2010, throwing up a 2.23 ERA in his 11 games and building up 10 wins at the half-way point to put him in contention for the all-star game with just two losses and a dynamite 1.29 WHIP. But Pelfrey, who missed out on All-Star selection Monday, seems off of late, like something has switched and the man of 2009 is back on the mound. He has given up 18 runs in his last 4 starts, surrendering seven of them Monday night against Cincinnati. He was highly tempered in front of the typical sold-out home crowd, reacting with fire to calls he didn't get at the plate. Furthermore, he atypically lost his swagger big time when a call was overturned that walked in the go-ahead run in the 5th, giving up 5 runs to close out that inning. Many insiders believe he has lost it, or something is off in his head whether from personal life business or lack of focus. Beat writer Marty Noble told ESPN "his whole demeanor is a bit off, from time between pitches to patience and temperament. This suggests there has to be a mental lapse here". Pelfrey has given up over seven hits in each those four consecutive boo-boos, with 12 and 10 in his last two. It seems not being selected for the all-star game may be appropriate, and if things continue down this road, who knows if the first round draft pick of 05' will ever throw in a midsummer classic. For now, New York holds its breath with this man on the mound, and hopes all will return to the way the Mets, and Mike Pelfrey need.